Connecticut

Facilities in Connecticut

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in Connecticut

Connecticut puts a clock on reporting: an oral report to the DCF Careline within 12 hours of the suspected abuse, followed by the written DCF-136 form within 48 hours of that. Anyone reporting in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. The Department of Public Health is equally clear about its own limits - it can only act against a licence, and nothing it does will get a consumer compensated.

Time limits in Connecticut: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Intentional harm such as assault, battery or false imprisonment: three years from the date of the act (not the date you discovered it). Negligence or reckless conduct: two years from when the injury was sustained or discovered, but never more than three years after the act. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577; § 52-584
If it happened before you turned 18: Less certain Connecticut does NOT pause the civil deadline for most injuries while the victim is a child. The three-year and two-year periods run from the abuse even if the victim was a minor. Only sexual-abuse claims get special extended time. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 52-577, 52-584 (no general tolling provision in chapter 926)
If the program was run by or for the government: Less certain Claims against the State go to the Office of the Claims Commissioner within one year of when the injury was sustained or discovered, and never more than three years after the act. Suits against a town and its employee jointly need written notice to the town clerk within six months and a lawsuit within two years. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-148(a); § 7-465(a)
Child sexual abuse: The civil SOL for CSA, trafficking, and CSAM claims is age 51, with revival up to age 48. A narrow exception eliminates the SOL for claims against any defendant, either individual perpetrator or other, if the perpetrator of the abuse has been criminally convicted of first-degree sexual assault. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: Physical child abuse (for example, risk of injury to a child, or assault) must be charged within five years of the offense if it can carry more than a year in prison. There is no rule pausing it until the victim turns 18 for non-sexual abuse. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-193(c)
Assault: Felony assault: five years from the offense (no limit if it is a class A felony). Misdemeanor assault: one year. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-193(a), (c), (d)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL for any felony or misdemeanor CSA offense, including sexual abuse and exploitation. Trafficking: There is no SOL for trafficking offenses. CSAM: The SOL for child pornography violations is 5 years from the offense. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. "Less certain" marks a line where the law is unclear or where our reading has not been confirmed, so please treat it with extra care. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Investigations Unit

Multiple professions

Investigates complaints against the health care practitioners the Department regulates, including licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, psychologists and marital and family therapists, and the boards act against the licence.

Its jurisdiction is limited by law to action against the licence. The Department says plainly that nothing it or a board does will result in any compensation, monetary or otherwise, to the person who complained.

Use this whenA licensed counselor, clinical social worker, psychologist or marital and family therapist in Connecticut.

HowRead the Department's complaint page and its practitioner complaints FAQ first, then file. You can call to have a complaint form posted to you.

860-509-7552 To request a complaint form by post.
File a complaint
More about this body
By postDepartment of Public Health, Practitioner Investigations Unit, P.O. Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134-0308

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, Licensing Division

Licenses child care programs and camps in Connecticut and investigates complaints against them.

Use this whenA licensed child care program or camp. Where abuse or neglect is happening at one, Connecticut tells you to call the Careline as well as this division.

HowUse the Office's complaint page, or call the Licensing Division.

1-800-282-6063 Licensing Division. Direct line 860-500-4450.
File a complaint

Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

Connecticut DCF Careline

The statutory report line for child abuse and neglect, open around the clock, and the route into a Department of Children and Families investigation.

Use this whenA child under 18 at a Connecticut program. Anyone with reasonable cause to suspect abuse may report.

HowMake the oral report within 12 hours of the suspected abuse, then send the written DCF-136 form within 48 hours of that. A report can also go to a law enforcement agency.

DeadlineNot a deadline on the abuse, but on the report: oral within 12 hours, written DCF-136 within 48 hours of the oral report.

Anyone who makes a report in good faith is immune from civil and criminal liability for it.

1-800-842-2288 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
File a complaint
More about this body

Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Disability Rights Connecticut

Connecticut's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy.

Use this whenA Connecticut program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-842-7303 Main line 860-297-4300.
More about this body

National reporting channels, and the same list for other states